Chapter 647: Imperial Work, Imperial Demeanor |
Time quickly reached the last few days of February.
Xiao He had already successfully soaked himself into the role.
Even when eating at the company, before picking up his chopsticks he would subconsciously adjust his sleeve to avoid scraping the table.
After realizing he was wearing modern clothes, Xiao He would helplessly chuckle to himself.
Liu Rulan glanced over and teased from the side, “Oh, which household’s ancient-style young man wandered out?”
Xiao He: …
Don’t say it, don’t say it.
-
Overall, though, the crash training had worked extremely well. If Xiao He’s earlier historical costumes still carried a bit of a roguish martial-world edge, now he truly looked like the scion of a noble family, his whole being radiating an arrogant dignity.
Although people had been teasing Xiao He for becoming a classical-style young man during this time, when Liu Rulan saw him in full costume with makeup and hair finished, she was still briefly stunned.
The cocky, martial-world youth from before had vanished. Standing before them now was a refined, graceful scholar’s son.
That utterly different aura was genuinely astonishing.
Liu Rulan circled around Xiao He, then a trace of regret came across her face. “It’s a pity Emperor Chen wasn’t truly a literati gentleman. Your temperament suits the role of a behind-the-scenes strategist in a historical power drama far better.”
Preferably the kind who plans quietly, takes revenge in secret, a behind-the-scenes minister.
Someone who appears genteel and well-mannered, but whose mind is dark, who toys with everyone in the palm of his hand, excels at political scheming and manipulating hearts — a White Outside, Black Inside.
Tsk, what a pity, what a pity.
Liu Rulan immediately snapped a photo. “I must remember this, I’ll try to find something for you later.”
Xiao He sighed helplessly. “Sister Liu, you really are action-oriented.”
But he thought a moment and didn’t refuse. “Looking in advance isn’t bad. If the Imperial Enterprise audition fails, I can immediately turn around and join another production to save face.”
After all, both are period pieces and both are political intrigues. Having trained so hard, it would be a waste not to act.
Liu Rulan rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t even think about that. This audition must succeed, not fail.”
“Or you’ll just have to sit there and take the winner’s savage mockery!”
The Imperial Enterprise casting had already reached a fever pitch, and tomorrow was the final, decisive audition. Almost everyone was paying attention.
No sooner had they returned to work than news about Imperial Enterprise auditions was flying everywhere, and the candidate list became hot gossip among netizens.
Although that audition news was originally leaked on purpose to trap Yun Ziqi, the level of attention it drew surprised everyone.
Even more surprising was that besides Yun Ziqi, others were fighting tooth and nail for the role. One marketing stunt a day, a scandal reversal every two days — it was a chaotic melee within the industry.
The Operations Department, freshly back at work, had no time to catch its breath and immediately got busy quelling wave after wave of public opinion attacks against Xiao He.
It was terrifying.
Liu Rulan believed that if Xiao He failed this audition, countless marketing accounts would immediately surge forth to mercilessly mock him.
After all, Xiao He’s path so far had been unusually smooth; there were certainly many who privately resented him.
Xiao He lifted his chin slightly to let the stylist tidy his collar. Hearing Liu Rulan, he could only sigh helplessly. “I can only say I’ll try my best. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll go abroad for a few days and keep a low profile.”
He was referring to Fast Speed Shadow 7’s Qingming Festival slot.
The spring release window is a regular distribution period for many Hollywood blockbusters abroad. That timing corresponds at home roughly to around the Qingming Festival, which happens to be a lull between the end of the Spring Festival releases and the buildup to the May Day season. Domestic major films are sparse, and imported films usually fill the gap.
So many people notice that the Qingming slot, and much of April, sees a lot of imported films, and for several years the Qingming box office champion has often been an imported movie.
Fast Speed Shadow 7 was no exception. Since it cared about its domestic performance, the team chose to release it globally in sync with China’s Qingming slot so audiences at home and abroad could watch together.
As an important figure to divert domestic traffic for Fast Speed Shadow 7, Xiao He naturally needed to go abroad to participate in global promotional events.
During the Spring Festival, James, Tannis’s assistant, had already called Xiao He to wish him a happy holiday and invited him to the promotional events at the end of March.
Honestly, the production’s attitude was shockingly good. They didn’t behave like an all-white cast who ignored the China market; they treated the Chinese market fairly and respectfully, without uncomfortable maneuvers.
Perhaps that was another reason Xiao He was willing to go abroad for promotion.
“Speaking of going overseas—”
Liu Rulan hesitated for a moment, then continued, “Did Mr. James say anything else when he called you last time?”
“Hmm, I don’t think so.”
Xiao He thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Director Tannis is getting old and has never been robust health-wise, so his output has slowed. I really don’t know whether they have other arrangements lined up.”
Although linking up with such a world-renowned director had been thrilling at the time, after touring abroad and given the current international climate, Xiao He didn’t dare casually accept invitations from foreign directors.
Hearing this, Liu Rulan only sighed. “Who would’ve thought it would end up like this? If they didn’t mention anything, then forget it for now—focus on the domestic market.”
Who could have imagined?
Those who had once wanted to rush outward now felt that home could sustain them better.
During sensitive times, Liu Rulan didn’t want Xiao He to become a political casualty.
She fretted instead, worried Xiao He might run into trouble overseas or get too close to those foreign stars and be dragged into their mess if anything happened.
Xiao He was naturally unaware of the head manager’s concerns. After fixing his clothing, he followed the cameraman to the studio for photos.
“Sister Liu, remember to draw lots for me and arrange the audition time for tomorrow.”
“All right.”
Liu Rulan snapped back to the present and stopped wasting energy worrying about those matters. She contacted Qiu Zhenlong’s assistant to confirm the exact audition schedule.
…
The next day, the final male lead auditions for Imperial Enterprise officially began.
The auditions took place at an arts center in Beijing.
This arts center is located in the downtown area. Its gallery permanently displays calligraphy, paintings, and visual works. It usually has few visitors and is often borrowed by production teams for auditions or table reads. The space is open and elegant, with a strong professional atmosphere and an inherent artistic vibe. The moment Xiao He stepped in, he first noticed the faint scent of ink.
As the most important main hall on the first floor, many literati paintings and calligraphy works were displayed there today, including genuine antiques.
Especially near the spot everyone passed when taking the spiral staircase, a calligraphy piece was quietly exhibited in a showcase. Its presence was so powerful Xiao He spotted it at once.
The strokes were forceful as if forged, the ink dark and weighty, carrying a surging, majestic momentum that commanded respect without anger—filled with the heroic ambition and carefree gallantry of a king.
Just one glance convinced Xiao He this was an authentic work left by Emperor Chen.
—Not a reproduction, not a copy, but written by the man himself and preserved to this day.
After his recent practice, Xiao He had developed a deeper understanding of this emperor. Even his everyday handwriting had acquired a touch of Emperor Chen’s flavor.
He had even painstakingly reproduced the circulated images of the authentic works he’d seen online, as if in that moment he had achieved a cross-temporal communication with Emperor Chen.
Unable to resist, Xiao He walked up to the display case to study it closely.
By that era paper-making already existed, so there was no longer the troublesome need for bamboo slips or silk books. That made imperial autographs easier to preserve and highly valuable for collection and exhibition. A successful emperor’s works, like Emperor Chen’s, would naturally be a top choice for calligraphy lovers and antique collectors at home and abroad. Calling it a peerless treasure would not be an exaggeration.
Xiao He had never paid much attention to this field before—he was purely outside the circle—so he didn’t know how many of Emperor Chen’s originals survived, nor which collector or museum owned this piece, nor why it was exhibited here. He simply felt, instinctively, that the calligraphy in front of him was staggering.
Even someone like him, not a deep student of calligraphy, could viscerally sense the imperial demeanor and arrogance of a ruler from that era while standing there.
Even the lights on either side made the inscription above seem lonelier and loftier.
